Press apparatus for package compressing and strapping



y 1965 D. T. ARMINGTON ETAL 3,182,586

PRESS APPARATUS FOR PACKAGE GOMPRESSING AND STRAPPING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan; 24, 1963 INVENTORS DONALD T ARMINGTON JAMES E. DIMMETT WW7, ag/aw M 3 ATTORNEYS May 11, 1965,

D. 'r. ARMINGTON ETAL PRESS APPARATUS FOR PACKAGE COMPRESSING AND STRAPPING Filed Jan. 24, 1963 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS DONALD T. ARMjNGTON JAMES E. DIMMETT BY% My A ATTORNEYS May 11, 19.65 D. T. ARMINGTON ETAL 3,182,536

PRESS APPARATUS FOR PACKAGE COMPRESSING AND STRAPPING Filed Jan. 24, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 DONALD TARMINGTON JAMES E. DIMMETT BYW M5? ATTORNEYS 7M1 United States Patent M 3,182,586 PRESS APPARATUS FOR PACKAGE COMPRESS- ING AND STRAPIING Donald Talbot Armington, Southington, and James E.

Dimmett, South Glastonbury, Comm, assignors to The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Jan. 24, 1963, Ser. No. 253,539 1 Claim. (Cl. 100-7) This invention relates to improvement in press apparatus utilized for compressing skid-mounted conveyed packages and for strapping the same, and especially to such apparatus where the packages include stacked sheet material.

It is one object of this invention to provide apparatus for compressing a package of sheet material for strapping without the entrapment of air therein.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a unique press for compressing a skid-mounted conveyortransported package constructed so that no compression force is applied through the skid to the conveyor.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide apparatus for compressing a skid-supported package in such a manner that the skid is not indented during package compression and to reduce the possibility of breaking the skid.

It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus for compressing a package in such a manner that the maximum compressive force is applied at the central area of the package.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a fluid operated press for a packaging device which may be utilized in combination with an automatic or semiautomatic strap feeder in which the compressed package may always be at a desired height for powered strap applying operations.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a package compressing and strapping apparatus which may be operated by one man and which is simple and rugged in construction.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointedout more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction ereafter set forth and the scope of the application which will be indicated in the appended claim.

-In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an over-all perspective view of the conveying, pressing and strapping apparatus embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of reduced scale illustrating the operation of the press in compressing a package;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating in more detail the lower press platen and fluid opera-ted lift arrangement of the apparatus of the invention together with a powered strap chuting attachment which may be used therewith;

FIG. 4 is a top view of another preferred form of the press portion of the apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line '77 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the upper press platen assembly of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the guide posts of FIG. 3.

3,182,586 Patented May 11, was

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conveyor 19 including a supporting base 11 and two separate spaced horizontal rows or active runs of conveyor rows 12 and 14. The roller conveyor rows 12 and 14 are separated by a space 15 therebetween, at least at a packaging and compressing station 16, for a purpose which will be described hereinafter. V I

At strapping and compressing station 16, there is a superstructure support assembly 17 including a horizontal base 18 and a pair of upright columns 20 and 22 at the ends of base 18 and are connected at the upper ends to a reinforcing beam 23. The base 18, as shown in FIG. 1, extends generallyat an angle to the line of conveyor 10 to leave the sides of the strapping and compressing station fireely exposed. A generally rectangular cross-top connecting beam assembly 24 is positioned around columns 29 and 22 so as to be guided thereby for vertical movement. For powering the vertical movement of top connecting beam 24, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders 26 and 27 are provided in columns 20 and 22, respectively. The cylinders 26 and 27 have power connecting rods 28 and 22, respectively, which are connected to the top-cross beam support 24, for moving the cross beam support vertically upward and downward on the upright columns 26 and 22. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the end of rod 29 may be threaded as indicated at 29a and secured to an apertured flange 24a by nuts 29b and 290. Rod 28 may be similarly secured to the other end of top connecting beam 24.

An upper press platen 30 is attached to the cross connecting beam 24. As shown, the platen includes a plurality of rectangular pads 32 arranged in such a manner as to provide transverse passages in the areas between the platen and the surface of the pads for guiding strapping therethrough with the platen in contact with a package. Platen 30 may, if desired, be rota-tably secured to beam 24 as more fully illustrated and described in connection with FIGS. 5 and 8.

Spaced below the top platen 30 at the strapping and compressing station 16, there is a lower platen 34 having, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of pads 36 spaced apart thereon to provide grooves 38 across the conveyor and parallel to the conveyor for guiding strapping therethrough. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2,,the width of platen 34 is less than the width of a package P mounted on a skid S and is dimensioned to be completely received between the two rows 12 and 14 of the roller conveyors.

The platen 34 is mounted for vertical movement and such vertical movement is powered by a fluid actuated lift mechanism 49 shown as being mounted in a pit 42 between the rows 12 and 14 of roller conveyors and the lift mechanism 46 includes a lift rod 44 connected directly to the platen 34. As shown in FIG. 3, the platen 34 is secured by guide rods 46, 46. Guide rods 46, 46 are preferably supported in elongated tubular guide sleeves 47, 47 of base 44) so as to maintain them in a vertical position. Thus, if a package is unevenly placed on platen 34, platen 34 will remain in a horizontal position due to the support provided by guide rods 46, 46 and their guide sleeves 4'7, 47. However, it will be apparent that guide rods 46, 46 could be eliminated or releasably secured to platen 34 in any suitable manner so that lower platen 34 may be rotated after strapping is placed around a package in one direction so that other strapping may be placed around the package transverse 'to the first strapping. For example, guide rods 46, 46 may be segmented as at 46a and with the cooperating segments thereof provided with tongues 46b which engage complementary curved dovetail grooves 46c. As shown in FIG. 9, a

spring-biased detent, such as ball 46d, engaging a complementary recess in groove 460 may he provided to secure the platen 34 in any desired position.

At the strapping and compressing station 16, there is shown an upright support 48 for supporting a strap guide 50 and also for supporting a retractable chute 52 contained within a powered chute feeder 54. A strap 56 may be fed by a powered strap feeder 58 in synchronism with the chute feeder so that a strap may be fed through a groove 38 and guided under the package while it is compressed between platens 30 and 34. Although only one strap feeder 58 is shown, it is readily apparent that a plurality of such feeders could be provided to feed a plurality of straps around a package simultaneously.

As shown in FIG. 3, the lower platen 34- is positioned so that the strap guide 50 is aligned to extend chute 52 transversely across platen 34 through a groove 38 along the vertical centerline of hydraulic lift rod 44. With this relationship, it will be apparent that the apparatus is prepared for compressing a package and applying strapping about the center of the package in two directions at right angles to each other by applying one strap, rotating the platen 34 ninety degrees and applying a second strap through groove 38a. It will also be apparent that by moving the strap guide 50 longitudinally along the conveyor relative to lift rod 44 so as to be in alignment with, say, transverse groove 38c chute 52 may be extended transversely across the platen 34 through groove 38c which is offset from the vertical centerline of hydraulic lift rod 44. Thus, the apparatus may be used to apply straps which are parallel to each other by applying one strap, rotating the platen 34 one hundred and eighty degrees at which time strap guide 50 is aligned with groove 38d, and the chute may be extended through groove 38d and applying a second strap.

The powered chute feeder and synchronized power strap feeder are not per se a part of this invention and are disclosed in more detail in copending application Serial No. 253,702 filed January 24, 1963, now abandoned and assigned to the assignee of this application.

The operation of the apparatus and the attendant advantages of the construction will now be described. As shown in FIG. 2, a package P of sheet material, for example, is mounted on a skid S in a conventional manner and may be moved horizontally on conveyor to the strapping and pressing station 16 by the legs of the skid S contacting the roller conveyor rows 12 and 14. With the package centered above the lower platen 34, the platen 34 will be below the deck board of the skid S and the skid will be resting on the conveyor rows 12 and 14. The lower platen 34 is then raised to the position shown in FIG. 2, that is to lift the skid olf the conveyor to a level corresponding to the level of the chute feeder 54 so that the strap guide chute 52 may be extended through a groove 38 of platen 34. The upper platen 3!) is then actuated to compress the package and the chute 52 is extended through groove 38 between platen pads 36 as shown in FIG. 3. Strapping 56 may then be fed around the package P in any desired manner for securing by strapping tool 60 supported from a reel 62 suspended from top platen or from another suitable overhead support.

Turning now particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown another form of this invention wherein the lower press platen 134 is lifted a limited amount for the purpose of supporting the package at the center thereof and carrying substantially, though not necessarily, all of the load during the compressing operation. This modification is particularly useful where a large variation in skid sizes is encountered and the compressive forces are such that the runners L of the skids, if left completely unsupported, would be bowed inwardly. Thus, if the upward movement of lower press platen 134 is limited so that the runners L may engage the conveyor rows 112 and 114 during the compressing of the package, the undesired bowing thereof is prevented without unduly loading the conveyor rollers.

Additionally, and as shown in FIG. 5, the lower press platen 134 may extend laterally so that it overlies a portion of the conveyor rows 112 and 114 to provide support for the skid of a large package over a broader area. Since the height of the runners L may be made greater than the height of the lower press platen 134, this arrangement does not interfere with the passage of a skidsupported package past the conveying station.

In the embodiment of the press shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in which like numbers indicate like parts shown in FIGS. 1-3, the upper press platen is mounted on a cross support member 24a which is shown as having a pair of vertically spaced apart guide rollers 25 at each end thereof for engaging tracks 25a on columns 120, 122 so as to be supported for controlled vertical movement relative thereto. As shown, the upper press platen cross support member 24a is connected at its center to a fluid operated actuating cylinder 26a through power connecting rod 280. The fluid operated actuating cylinder 26a is in turn rigidly secured by means of plates 23a to cross members 123 which connect the upper ends of columns 129 and 122. It will be apparent that the upper press platen 130 may be rotatably mounted relative to cross members 123 or cross support member 24a, so that the press may be rotated While retaining a package under compression. While any suitable construction may be utilized, the upper surface of platen 30 may be provided with a circular groove 30:: having a plurality of balls 30b therein and cross support member 24a may be provided with a groove 24b complementary to groove 30a to provide a thrust bearing. A shaft or bolt 300 secured to platen 30 may be rotatively received in an aperture in member 24a. Shaft or bolt 300 is shown as being provided with an enlarged head or nut 30d to secure the platen 30 to the member 24a. As shown in FIG. 8, a spring-biased detent 30c may be provided to releasably secure platen 30 in any desired position.

In the operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, lower press platen 34 may be raised so as to engage the skid S to provide support therefor during the compression of a package P. When so raised, it may be hydraulically or otherwise locked in its adjusted position.

With the lower platen 134 so adjusted, fluid operating cylinder 26a is operated to lower the upper press platen 130 and its supporting structure to compress the package P and to concentrate the compressive forces on the center portion of the package so as to prevent the entrapment of any air in the center of the package.

It is apparent that the lower press platen may be raised so as to carry the entire compressive load imposed thereon during the compressing operation or may be raised an amount so that the runners L of the skid will engage the conveyor rows 112 and 114 during the compressing operation to provide some limited support for the skid and thereby prevent the skid runners L from bowing inwardly to an undesired degree.

Because the lift mechanism acts through the center area of the platen 134, the center portion of the package will be compressed at greater amount than the edge portions and air will be squeezed out from between the sheets of the package. In other Words, the centerlift feature of this invention prevents air from being trapped in the center of the package. Furthermore, if pressure is applied by platens 130 and 134 sandwiching the package P when the skid S is lifted from the conveyor rows 112 and 114, the conveyor will not have to be designed to support the force of the compression operation but can merely support the weight of the package P plus the skid S. Finally, this invention provides an arrangement wherein the bottom surface of the skid runners are not significantly deformed as would occur if the compressive forces utilized during the strapping operation were primarily carried by the runners.

While the foregoing describes the invention in what is presently believed to be its preferred embodiments, it should be understood that modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the upper platen 130 may be adjustably fixed rather than being vertically powered during the compressing operation, or both the upper platen 130 and the lower platen 134 may be actuated toward each other during the compressing operation. Also, in any of the various modes of operation, the platens may be moved simultaneously 01' sequentially. Accordingly, it will be understood that this invention is not limited to the precise details described and illustrated and that the appended claim is intended to cover all devices falling within the spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

In combination with a package strapping apparatus,

(a) a package conveyor including, in at least a per tion thereof at a compressing station, a pair of spaced apart horizontally extending substantially parallel conveyor rows,

(b) a top press platen support structure positioned adjacent the conveyor and extending over the top thereof at a strapping and compressing station,

(c) a rotatable top press platen,

(d) a rotatable center supported bottom press platen positioned between the spaced conveyor rows and underneath the top platen for supporting the package near the center thereof,

(e) fluid operated means for mounting the top press platen on the top platen support structure connected to the center of said top press platen and for moving the top press platen toward the bottom press platen for concentrating maximum pressure at the center portion of the package during the strapping operation and for accommodating the rotation of the package without removing the compressive forces thereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 193,203 7/77 Wheeler -3 502,313 8/93 McCutcheon 100-264 X 2,632,381 3/53 Buckland 1007 2,632,382 3/53 Knott 1001 X 2,780,986 2/57 Ritenour 10025 2,780,989 2/57 Guy 100-1 X 2,831,422 4/58 Black et a1 IOU-25 2,982,063 5/61 Coleman et al. I 3,052,178 9/62 Hall 100-25 FOREIGN PATENTS 221,438 5/62 Austria.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner. 

